Safety-vent for crude-oil-storage tanks.



W. M. BOWLES.

- SAFETY VENT FOR CRUDE OIL STORAGE TANKS.

APPLICATION HLEU DEC. 3!.1915.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.'

naw Ito mawm WJM. sowuss. v SAFETY VENT FOR cnumz omsmrmez TANKS. APPLICATHW HLED DEC.3I. i915.

Patented Sept. 1917.

ZSHEETS-SHEET 2.

WILLIAM nownns, 0F- sarunrn, OKLAHOMA.

SAFETY-VENT FOR GBUDE-OIL-STORAGE TANKS.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented dept. 4t, 1911?.

Application filed December 31, 1915. Serial No. 69,609.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. BOWLES, acitizen of the United States, residing at Sapulpa, in the county of Greek and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Vents. for Crude-Oil-Storage Tanks, of which the fol lowing is a specification. 1

i This invention relates to safety vents for crude oil storage tanks and has as its object to provide a device of this class which will operate to eflectually prevent damage likely to result from the outlet or vent from such tank being struck by lightning. Ordinarily crude oil storage tanks are equipped with a vent pipe located at a distance from the tank and through which the gases rising from the oil may escape to the atmosphere. In electrical storms these vent pipes are liable to be struck by lightning resulting in ignition of the gaseous'mixture issuing from the said pipes and considerable damage is liableto result. The present invention, therefore,

. aims to provide within the vent pipe a valve normally supported in open position but adapted to be released for automatic closing in event of the pipe being struck by lightnmg.

Another aim of the invention is to provide in connection with the valve and its 00- operating parts, means for giving both an audible and a visible signal in the event of the pipe being struck by lightning so that the attendant'may be apprised of the closing of the valve within the pipe and to subsequently restore the device to its normal condition.

Another aim of the invention is to provide in connection with thevent pipe, an auxiliary valve controlled vent adapted to open automatically in the event of the oil being pumped from the tank and the main valve within the pipe has been closed and not restored to open position, the provision ofthis auxiliary vent permitting air to enter the tank and preventing the Walls of {the tank being subjected to external pressure due to the partial vacuum created as the oil is pumped from the tank.

y In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the vent pipe embodying the invention; 1

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the said pipe, the

p rts being s own in n r al p siti n Fig. 3 is a view similar toFig. 2 illustrating the positions of the parts after the pipe has been struck by lightning.

I In the drawings,'the numeral 1 indicates in general a crude oil storage tank which tank, of course, may be of any desired form and capacity and the numeral 2 indicates a closure for the filling opening inthe top of the tank. Leading from the top of the tank to the vent pipe which is to be hereinafter specifically described and which is located at any desired distance from the tank is a pipe line 3 which serves to carry oil the gases rising from the oil within the tank and to convey these gases to the said vent pipe.

The vent pipe mentioned above is preferably mounted at its lower end upon a fouir dation 4 of concrete or any other suitable material and this pipe is preferably built up from a number of sections connected in a manner to be presently explained, the lowermost one of these sections being inclicated by the numeral 5 and being in communication at its lower end with an opening 6 in the foundation 4, this opening providing for drainage of the vent pipe both as concerns the collection of drain water therein and the collection of any condensed gaseous vapors. A pipe section 7 is mounted upon the )ipe section 5 and the said sections 5 and are preferably provided with flanges bolted or otherwise secured together, as indicated at 8. A pipe section 9 is mounted upon the pipe section 7 and another pipe section 10 is mounted upon the section 9. In one side, the pipe section 7 is formed with an opening 11 surroundedby a valve seat 12 disposed at an angle with relation to the axis of the pipe, asclearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. A relatively short pipe section 13 is fitted at one end in the opening 11 and has fitted into its other end the outlet end of the pipe line 8. The pipe section 13 is provided with a branch M end against the valve 17 and serves to yieldably hold the said valve to its seat. This structure constitutes the auxiliary vent de vice heretofore referred to and the operation of the said device will be presently fully explained.

The numeral 21 indicates a valve which is pivotally mounted as at 22 at the upper side of the valve seat 12 within the pipe section 7 and this valve is normally supported in open position in a manner which will now be described and is adapted, when released, to fall by gravity to a position against the seat 12 and thereby close the opening 11 which establishes communication between the pipe line 3 and the interior of the vent pipe. In order that access may be had to the valve 21 a hand hole 23 is provided in the pipe section 7 opposite the said valve seat 12 and is closed by a suitable cover 24. Secured at their lower ends to the pipe section 10 and projecting upwardly in spaced relation above the said pipe section are brackets 25 provided at their upper ends with bindingposts 26 to which are secured the endsof a fuse wire 27, this wire extending between the said upper ends of the brackets 25 and, consequently diametrically above the upper end of the pipe section 10. A wire or other suitable flexible or semi-flexible element 28 is connected at its upper end to the fuse wire 27 and at its lower end to the valve 21 and serves to support the said valve normally in open position, as above stated. In order that the pipe sections 7 and 9 may be insulated from each other and in order that the pipe sections 9 and 10 may be insulated from each other, insulating gaskets 29 are interposed between the connected ends of the said sections respectively and the bolts 30 which securethe flanges at the said ends of the sections to gether are surrounded by insulating sleeves 31. To insure against the gases issuing from the vent pipe being ignited in the lower portion of the pipe a foraminous screen 32 is interposed between the ends of thepipe sections 9 and 10 and a similar screen 33 is arranged at the upper end of the section 10, thewire 28 passing through openings in the said screens. It will now be understood that should lightning strike the vent pipe the fuse wire 27 would be fused and the valve 21 would, therefore, be allowed to drop by gravity to closed position. Thereforeyeven should the gases at the upper end of the pipe section 10 be ignited, the flame would not reach to the gases of the lower portion of the vent pipev nor to the pipe line 3. Should the valve 21 be in this manner closed and should the attendant fail to properly restore the same to open position the walls of the tank 1 will not be subjected to external pressure in the event that oil is pumped from the tank, inasmuch as when a partial vacuum is created within the tank in the "pumping operation, the valve 17 will be lifted" from its seat and the air will enter thepipe line 3 and be conducted to the tank.

. In order that both an audible and a visible signal may begiven to indicate the closing of the valve '21, means are provided which will now be described. Mounted for rocking movement, as at 34, in the brackets 25 is a shaft 35 provided at one end with a head 36 to which is connected the inner end of a rod 37 carrying atits outer end a. semaphore 38. The other end of the shaft 35 is provided with anfarm 39 carrying a weight 40 held at adjustment thereon by means of a set screw' 41. An arm42 is secured to the shaft 35 between thebrackets 25 and is provided with a hooked end 43 which engages with the fuse wire 27. In the normal position of the parts'the arm 39 is inclined upwardly and at an angle to the vertical and consequently the weight 40 exerts a normal tendency to swing this tank in a downward direction. Also in the-normal position of the parts the semaphore 37 extends in a gen eral downward direction but it will be understood that in event of fusing of the wire 27 the shaft 35 will no longer be restrained against rotary movement and will be rotated through the downward swinging movement of the arm 39, the semaphore being at the same time swung upwardly to about the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings in which position it will. serve as a visible signal to the attendant that the valve21 is in closed position." a 1 A y The numeral 44E indicates a bracket preferably located at the lower end of that one of the brackets 25 next adjacent which the arm 39 is located and thisbracket supports a contact plate 45 insulatedfrom the bracket as indicated at 46. A conductor wire 47 is connected to the contact plate 45 and to one pole of a battery 48 and a wire 49 leads from the other pole of the battery to a bell or annunciator indicated at 50. A wire 51 is connected electrically with the other one of the brackets 25 or" some other portion ofthe device which is not insulated from the arm 39 and is connected also with the bell 50. Thus when the wire 27 is fused and the arm 39 swings downwardly the weight 40 will strike against the contact plate 45 and complete the circuit through the bell or annunciator 50, giving an audible signal that the valve 21 is closed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1 1. In a device of the class described, a vent pipe, a valve within the pipe having a normal tendency toward movement to closed position, a pipe leading to and communicating with the said vent pipe, and an auxiliary vent valve arranged within the second-mentioned pipe.

2. In a device of the class described, a vent pipe, a valve within the pipe having a normal tendency toward movement to closed position, a tank, a valve leading from the tank to the said vent pipe, a branch pipe communicating with the second-mentioned pipe and having an intake end, and a valve normally closing said end of the said vent P p 3. In a device of the class described, a vent pipe, a valve within the pipe having a normal tendency to gravitate to closed position, spaced members extending above the upper end of the pipe, a fusible element extending between the spaced members, means imposing a strain upon the said fusible element, andv a connecting element connected to the said fusible element and depending therefrom Within the said pipe and connected at its lower end to the said valve.

t. In device of the class described, a vent pipe, a valve within the pipe having a normal tendency toward movement to closed position, means normally holding the valve in open position, a pipe leading to and communicating with the said vent pipe at the point of location of the valve, a branch leading from the last-mentioned pipe and having its end portion overturned and presented downwardly, a valve seat within the end of the said b 'anch, and a valve normally resting upon the said seat and closing the inlet to the said end of the branch.

In testimony whereof,I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM M. BOWLES. 1i 8.]

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

